Using copyright debates to understand conservative economic philosophies

The three philosophical frameworks that conservative intellectuals tend to rely on are desert theory, utilitarianism, and procedural justice. Desert theory emphasizes the construction of an economy that awards each economic actor what they deserve, which conservatives usually define in terms of productivity. Utilitarians insist that the economy should be structured in a way that maximizes… Continue reading Using copyright debates to understand conservative economic philosophies

Charity and justice

Occupied with the new academic semester, I have not been able to post as frequently. So here is a cop-out post on a subject I think about, but rarely write about. People uniformly love charity. If you go to any public interest type of group and offer them a way to provide some direct temporary… Continue reading Charity and justice

The right-wing’s unjustified obsession with the capital gains tax

Since Romney admitted earlier this week that his tax rate is around 15% because his income is primarily from capital gains, the capital gains tax debate has fired up again. The traditional argument for a low capital gains tax is that it is necessary to encourage investment, but this argument is not well-supported. When people… Continue reading The right-wing’s unjustified obsession with the capital gains tax

Imagine a class-centered campaign against Mitt Romney

With inequality growing, middle-class wages stagnant, lower-class wages falling, record high corporate profits, and substantial high-end income growth, a presidential campaign centered on class is not out of the question. Mitt Romney — who almost perfectly embodies the greedy, privileged, Wall Street Banker stereotype — would be an incredible candidate for just such a campaign.… Continue reading Imagine a class-centered campaign against Mitt Romney